How to Prepare for the AVIXA CTS Exam

So you want to advance your career in the Audiovisual industry...

Well, an AVIXA CTS Credentials will certainly help you do that. 

Whether you’re a brand new technician looking to get your feet wet, a seasoned installer looking to sharpen your skills, or looking to advance into a management position, AVIXA has the solution for you.

The process of getting certified can seem overwhelming to some, but I promise you it is well worth it in the end. 

In order to make things easier for you, we’ve outlined each step you need to take to get that highly regarded CTS credential.

Prerequisite Learning

Before you can start diving into the material that is on the actual CTS exams, it is crucial that you have a fundamental understanding of the Audiovisual Industry as a whole.

Here are a few of the most recommended courses/certifications:

1. Quickstart to the AV Industry Online

Designed as a crash course and a complete introduction to the Audiovisual Industry. Perfect for newbies or anyone interested in exploring a career in AV.

2. Essentials of AV Technology

Learn the basic science that goes into creating an Audiovisual integrated experience.

3. AV Math Online

Master common AV calculations and increase your confidence through practical industry-related examples and problems

4. AV-Technologist Certificate

This is a great way to test your proficiency in the fundamentals of AV and also prepare you for the CTS certifications.

Test Preparation

As with most other things, preparation is key. Here are a few exam preparation tips to ensure that you are comfortable with the material and confident going into your CTS exam.

1. Read the CTS Handbook. 

The CTS handbook will give over:

• CTS Application and Exam Process
• Exam Related Information
• Application Related Information
• CTS Program Administration Information
• Exam Preparation and Education
• Exam Outlines and Applications

2. Read the CTS Exam Study Guide

The CTS Exam Study guide will cover CTS exam objectives:

• Develop a Site scope
• Conduct a Site Survey
• Troubleshoot and Repair AV Solutions

Each chapter includes in-depth explanations of material as well as review questions to test your knowledge

3. CTS Prep Three-day Course

Th CTS Prep Course is an optional in-person course for those who want a more hands-on study experience. This course will cover:

• CTS Exam format
• Test Taking Strategies
• Exam Expectations
• Examine CTS study needs with drills 
• Review Exam Content Areas

If, you’d rather learn from the comfort of your own home check out CTS Prep Virtual Classroom

4. Hands-on Experience

For a lot of people, the best way to learn and retain information is by doing. Hands-on experience installing, configuring, and troubleshooting AV solutions will give you an added boost in your overall proficiency in AV systems.

Submit Application

There are two options for submitting an application:

1. Apply Online
2. Download and Submit a PDF Application via fax, email, or mail

Schedule Exam

Schedule an interview directly through the Pearson VUE testing center

Retake Test

Candidates who do not pass their initial CTS exam can take the exam two additional times ($130 / Additional Attempt) with a minimum 30 day period between attempts.

Candidates must also fill out a Retest Application

Renewing Certification

CTS credentials are awarded for a three-year period. In order to renew your certification, you must maintain minimum levels of continuing education during each three-year period.

To find out more about renewing your Avixa Credential click here

Summary

The AVIXA CTS is one of the best-known, sought after credentials in the Audiovisual industry. If you’re serious about your career in the AV industry then do yourself a favor and take the time to become CTS certified.

Anyone who is anyone in the Audiovisual industry knows all about AVIXA.
Formally known as InfoComm, AVIXA is the international trade association that represents the professional AV industry.

AVIXA Certifications (CTS, CTS-I, and CTS-D) are highly regarded and recognized globally, as the leading AV credentials.

Which certifications you choose to pursue are dependent on your current experience in AV, as well as your desired career trajectory. 

Let’s take a deeper look into the three AVIXA CTS credentials and outline which is most appropriate for you and your career.

Certified Technology Specialist Credential (CTS)?

The Certified Technology Specialist Program (CTS) is considered globally as the leading credential for AV professionals. Currently, there are 13,000 CTS holders, 2,000 of which have specialized credentials (CTS-I, CTS-D). 

 The benefits of a CTS Certification

• Improves core competency with AV equipment

• Improves credibility among colleagues

• Improves marketability to potential employers and clients

• Showcases willingness to learn and improve skillset

• Showcases professionalism and technical proficiency

• Improves career options and salary

Requirements for AVIXA CTS

There are no prerequisite courses or experiences required before applying (however AV experience would make the test much easier). 

Is the AVIXA CTS for you?

If you are new to the audiovisual industry, the AVIXA CTS should be one of the first certifications that you acquire. By doing so, you will establish the baseline knowledge that you need to be an entry-level AV technician or installer. 

AVIXA CTS-I Certification

The AVIXA CTS-I (Installation) installs and maintains audiovisual systems. 

• Follows specification and safety protocols

• Administers Installation Process Logistics

• Troubleshooting and problem-solving AV systems

• Communicates with clients, and other designers to ensure the best AV solutions

  
  

Requirements for AVIXA CTS-I

In order to apply for your CTS-I exam, you must have a valid CTS certification and a minimum of two years of experience installing AV equipment.

Is the AVIXA CTS-I certification for you?

If you have a few years of experience in the AV industry and you are looking to go from an entry-level AV technician to a Lead technician or field engineer than the CTS-I can be an incredibly valuable certification for you. 

The emphasis of the AVIXA CTS-I certification is the installation of commercial AV systems. Many managers at AV Integrators on the install side (i.e. Field Operations Managers and Technical Operations Managers) possess this certification. Also, a fair amount of Crestron Programmers will have the CTS-I as well. They are involved not only with software solutions but in writing the control logic for Crestron’s hardware installed in integrated conference rooms. 

 AVIXA CTS-D Certification

The AVIXA CTS-D (Design) designs audiovisual systems.

• Designs AV systems

• Prepares documents for design

• Communicates with vendors and clients to create AV solutions that meet client requirements

   

Requirements for AVIXA CTS-D

In order to apply for your CTS-D exam, you must have a valid CTS certification and a minimum of two years of experience designing AV equipment.

Is the AVIXA CTS-D for you?

The CTS-D is highly regarded in the AV industry and one of the most difficult certifications to acquire (Under 20% pass rate). 

If you are looking to move into the design or engineering side of the AV industry (Design Engineer, project engineer, solutions architect) then the CTS-D is the appropriate certification for you. Any Management level positions overseeing a design team, such as an Engineering Director, or Manager of Pre-Sales Engineering are often required to have a CTS-D.

How much does each AVIXA certification cost?

The cost of the AVIXA certifications varies based on country, AVIXA membership, and certification type.

AVIXA CTS Handbook

Is there an advantage to being dual-certified? (CTS-I & CTS-D)

There are currently over 12,000 AVIXA CTS holders, still less than 500 with both the CTS-I and CTS-D certifications. AV professionals who are dual certified are respected amongst their peers, highly sought after by employers, and considered leaders in the AV industry. 

They are considered to have a mastery of two of the most crucial phases of the project life cycle: the design phase and installation phase. 

Are the AVIXA CTS credentials worth it?

CTS credentials are highly regarded in the Audiovisual Industry, and are well worth the investment as you  then able to position yourself as a professional in the AV industry, earn you credibility among colleagues, and can dramatically put your career in AV on the fast track to promotion. 

If you are passionate about AV and see yourself working in the industry in the long-term then yes, the CTS credential is definitely worth it. 

The run-up to the holidays has begun and now begins the full-court press to the end of the year. Budget requests are either in or due, annual numbers are getting tallied and performance reviews being conducting.

Looking at the bigger picture it might seem counter-intuitive to want to get that new hire started before the end of December, but here are 6 key reasons you should be doing exactly that.

6 Reasons to Close New Hires before the end of the year

1) It's A Seller's Market

The talent pool in many IT sectors is, at best tight. You don't have to look any further than the Cybersecurity job market to know that top candidates are in demand. There's truly little need to sit around and wait for a company that's slow to pull the trigger for many IT professionals. And while you may have tantalizing benefits and enviable company culture on offer, chances so do your competitors.

2) You Risk Losing The Slot

Whether it's due to expansion in your sector, the growth of your customer base, or the loss of a team member, you have the opening for a reason. You didn't initiate bringing a new employee in on a whim, you've got a need you need to be met.

And while you may be certain that the budget for the new year includes funding this opening, just remember: the only thing you can count on is change. There are a number of unknowable variables that might affect your budget for the new year - beat the uncertainty by getting the talent you need in place now.

3) Top Talent Waits For No One

This might be considered a corollary of #1 above, but the best candidates are simply not on the market for that long. Not only do they not need to wait for an offer, but they also won't.

While it is never advisable to make hiring decisions under duress, it's equally as ill-advised to surrender to a long and drawn-out hiring process.

You've got to be willing to move decisively to get the talent you want. 

4) You Risk Surrendering To The Void

Once we hit the end of the year the harder it will be to assemble everyone you need to sign off on hiring decisions. Vacation schedules, end-of-year travel, and meetings can make it near impossible to get decision-makers assembled and focused.

It's important that you get what you need to shore up your department before everyone scatters and decisions have to be tabled.

As for candidates, conventional wisdom counsels one pull in the oars and not think about looking for a new position until the other side of January. The time between Thanksgiving and New Year then becomes this kind of looming void which top candidates and valuable talent are looking to avoid like some kind of gaping sinkhole that's temporarily swallowed up the job market.

What this means for you and your open desk is if you wait until after the holidays to start final interviews or moving toward an offer, it very well might be mid-to-late January before you get any momentum going.

Can you really afford to wait that long?

5) Shore Up Your DNA

Keep in mind the effect an unfilled opening has on the rest of your team. The more your team members are asked to pick up the slack, the more focus gets scattered and productivity goes down. The long term effects on your bottom line can be very damaging. Remember, one of the very best retention tools you have at your disposal is keeping employees engaged and stimulated. Over-taxed is the polar opposite of what you want.

On the plus side, new hires shore up your company DNA. They inject new energy, drive and focus. The contributions they add not only help drive success and profit as a direct result of the work they are doing but also in terms of keeping your business a thriving place to work.

6) Embrace The Void

The end of the year is the perfect time to get a new hire on-board. With fewer distractions, fewer calls to be made, half the number of meetings on the docket, your new employee has the time and ability to get through the necessary training and/or certification processes they need to do their job well.

There's likely no other time of the year, not even August, that will afford you the same kind of a slower pace to get your new hires up to speed.

It's time to begin thinking of the end of the year as the perfect time to get your new hires on board so that you can hit the ground running in the new year.

With top talent at a premium in sectors from cybersecurity to AV/IT, hiring great employees is more challenging than ever. And the last thing any company wants to face is hiring someone who doesn't work out. After all, replacing an employee can cost as much as 6 to 9 months of that employee's annual salary.

Here are 5 hiring mistakes to make certain you avoid.

1. Chasing Perfection

All too often we see hiring managers clinging too tightly to their checklists. Of course, there are certain prerequisites of any position, but if you are too set on an ideal you run the very real risk of missing out on a truly great candidate.

Or perhaps you are set on the idea of what your team should look like, the hiring equivalent of choosing from a take-out menu: one from column A, two from column B, etc... But if you let go of pre-set ideals and consider candidates with diverse backgrounds and unexpected skills, you will enhance the team as a whole. An outsider's perspective can be refreshing and add the kind of new energy and boost your need to move the needle higher.

Remember: working with people who are different from us makes us more creative, more diligent and harder-working.

2.  Not Truly Knowing The Job

It's one thing to know what function you're hiring someone for, but it's another thing to really understanding how the role functions on a day-to-day basis.

One of the best tools at your disposal to understand any given role on your team is the exit interview. And while that might sound counterintuitive, it makes perfect sense. After all, what better way to understand what works and what doesn't than to hear from people who are on their way out?

Yes, certainly there will be those employees whose opinion you will have to take with a grain of salt, but if you take care to ask the right questions and really listen to the answers you receive, you stand to learn an awful lot about the job you are now faced with filling.

So before you go into interviews to fill a role, take the time to talk to the people who have done the job. If you do, you'll not only be able to represent the position accurately, but it will also help you look for the candidate best suited to do the job.

3. Forgetting That Time Truly Is Of The Essence

Every search has its own parameters. Some jobs demand to cast a wide net due to location, skillset or competition for talent. Others need to be filled as quickly as possible in order to ensure that critical concerns are handled. But no matter the extenuating circumstances your company needs to have an established hiring protocol.

While it may seem an obvious system to have in place, too many companies do not have clear hiring policies in place. But taking the time to build a set of protocols not only makes it easier for your hiring managers, but it also sends a stronger message to candidates that you are a desirable company to work for.

In terms of how long you should spend on a search, that will depend on the job you're filling. But take care to never allow the process to go on for too long, otherwise, candidates will either lose interest, continue to take meetings at other companies, or decide you are not interested in them and take themselves out of the running.

4. Trying To Get Away With Less

Trying to undercut the competition might look good on paper, but it will not help you to attract top talent. If you're offering compensation that is not in line with your sector you are not only going to be less appealing to candidates but you're also selling yourself short.

The best guideline to follow is a candidate's current compensation package. If you are not able to meet what they are currently making or beat it, adjust the candidates you are considering. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting your time as well as the candidates.

5. Forgetting You're Also Selling

It's easy to forget that while you're vetting a candidate, they too are interviewing you. They're looking to see if your company supports a culture where they'll feel at ease, supported and can foresee an upward path for themselves. Since more of our time is spent at work than at home with friends and family, the contemporary worker wants to know that they'll be spending their time somewhere they'll feel valued.

Just as college recruiters have become marketing machines, pitching students why they're the best choice for their education, you too have to sell candidates on why your position is the one that they should take.

Everyone knows that searching for a job can be a struggle. At no point during the year is this more starkly evident than during the holidays--there are gifts to buy, gatherings to attend, estranged friends and family to reconnect with, and, to top it all off, the sun is blessing your various commitments less and less every day.

For all these reasons and more, you might be tempted to think that this time of year is a good time to pump the breaks on the holiday job search. You’d much rather spend time with family than cast endless phone calls and emails into the unknown. Besides, companies aren’t hiring now anyway. It can wait until January. Right? Well... 

As it turns out, by taking a break during the holiday season, you are actually missing out on several opportunities to find your dream job.

Here are 5 reasons why you should continue your job search through the holidays

1. There is Still Business to be Done

Ah, the holidays: comforter-thick fuzzy socks, cocoa around the fireplace, eggnog...naps. Everything in your environment beckons you to demand less of yourself and enjoy. The most ambitious and successful companies, however, know that there is still work to be done. They know that ideal candidates flicker and disappear these days, and by sitting on the sidelines until January, they are giving their competition opportunities to swoop in and steal their next game changer. 

2. Efficient Onboarding

Businesses seeking to hire during the holiday season are frequently doing so out of dire necessity. Whether they’ve acquired new business or lost a power player, there are business-critical roles that must be filled before the new year. This means that if you meet a company's needs, there's a good chance you'll also enjoy a pleasantly streamlined onboarding process.

3. Less Competition

Fewer candidates applying for open positions means you will be in greater demand. It’s simple supply-and-demand economics. Furthermore, prospective employers will appreciate the fact that you are seeking to advance your career while your peers are seeking a second helping of apple pie.

4. Networking Opportunities

It’s the most wonderful time of the year--for networking. 

Holiday parties and social events are the perfect time to connect with people who can help you in your job search. Remember, we're only six degrees removed from one another, and you might as well risk making an acquaintance while everyone is trying to be in good spirits. It's also increasingly likely that, since business is slower this time of year, hiring managers will have plenty of time to schedule an interview.

5. Avoid the Rut

If ever you've undertaken a task that required sustained and disciplined effort, you know that Newton's first law applies about as well to internal states of mind as it does external material objects. Running a few miles is easy if you've been doing it every other day for several months, but take a few weeks off (around the holidays, say, when it's cold and people keep planting pastries within arm's reach) and summoning the will to lace up the ASICS can feel like swimming through figgy pudding. Don't let up just because "it's an occasion." Momentum is hard-won and far too easy to lose.

6. Have a Happy New Year

While others are frantically searching for new job opportunities in January, you will be able to relax in the knowledge that you’ve already secured your future. With one less task on your New Year’s resolution list, you’ll be able to focus on getting back to the gym, spending more time with your family, or tinkering with that revolutionary gadget you’ve had in the basement for the last eight years. 

In the search for top talent, employer branding has increasingly become is a key component of any good recruitment strategy. Particularly in the tech sector, where there is a shortage of skilled talent, companies can no longer simply rely on databases and candidate tracking systems. Well-qualified candidates have choices, they know they can shop around for the best placement.

In order to attract the best talent, you have to make certain that candidates arrive at interviews pre-disposed to working for you, and one of the best ways to achieve that is to make certain your employer branding is up to date and reflective of your company culture.

Here are 5 Strategies for updating your Company’s branding

1. Culture Is Key

Millennials, unlike previous generations, are looking for a work experience that places a high value on their overall well-being. And in the search for a placement, they are willing to accept lower pay in exchange for an employer that puts the focus on professional development, performance recognition, clear communication, loyalty, and respect. In other words, they are looking for a satisfying work/life experience.

Companies that fail to create a culture geared toward employee engagement and satisfaction are finding that they suffer higher turnover rates. In fact, 80-90% of employees (not only millennials) who have left a position, report it was due to a clash with company culture or management. Or, to put it in a more positive light, engagement leads to better performance and increased loyalty. And since your employees are your best brand ambassadors, you must focus on creating a satisfying work experience.

So how do you do that?

2. Set Clear Expectations 

If you haven’t already, develop a robust and honest picture of what it takes to be a successful employee. Showcase in your branding the skills and talents you are looking for while painting an accurate, yet enticing picture of the work-life you offer. In order to attract relevant talent, (and talent that’s invested in working for you for the long term) make it clear what it is you offer, be it flexible hours, a specific technology you work with, diversity, etc.

3. Give Your Employees A Voice

Offer your workforce outlets to tell their stories. Feature employee profiles on your website, blog and/or newsletter. Celebrate their achievements and big wins, showcase their talents. In other words, put a spotlight on the individual, not the position. By encouraging employees to act as “brand ambassadors” in social media you’re not only engaging your target audience, you’re also letting it be known that employees are thriving and are valued.

4. Foster and reward innovation. 

Rather than seeing workers who challenge parameters, as a threat, create incentives for intrapreneurs. Always give credit where credit is due and be certain to include employee created innovations in your branding materials.

Just as you offer training and opportunities for education, leaving room for employee-led innovation is a powerful way to demonstrate that you are not only investing in your employee's futures, but you also make it clear to candidates that there’s room for growth.

5. Test It

Once you’ve looked at these areas, you want to be certain to test it. There’s no point in creating an employer brand that is not reflective of the actual work-a-day culture. In order to make sure that your branding matches the actual experience of employees, poll them on their perception of your brand:

• Does their experience match the brand you are touting?
• If not, how does it skew? What are you missing/ under-representing?
• Do they feel valued?
• What percentage of your employees would recommend their friends come work for you?
• Are they invested in the company’s success beyond their paycheck?

And on the Candidate side:

• Are your job postings garnering the right kind of candidates?
• Does the interview experience match what was promised?
• Do new hires complain that the company culture they were sold on is not, in fact, what they find in the day-to-day work experience?

If the answers to any of these questions are not what you are hoping to hear, then chances are you’re putting out a skewed picture of your business, and need to align the actual experience with how you represent your company culture.

All of this is by way of saying, it’s important to present your business as you are, not as you hope to be, or wish to be one day. As in all things, by being clear, transparent and honest, you are ensuring that the right kind of talent will be attracted to come work for you.

Every company wants to hire the best, most dynamic and highest performing talent they can. But when unemployment is hovering around 5% and the IT sector is in a growth phase as it now, you have to make sure you are on top of your game if you want to attract top talent. Candidates have lots of options available to them, and you have to make sure that you stand out from your competition. So, how can you improve your hiring strategy to attract top candidates?

Check out these 5 ways to attract top talent for your openings!

Turn Job Descriptions into Stories

A good job description needs to tell a story. Savvy candidates are looking for more information than the standard listings of responsibilities, they want some insight into the heart of the company. Use words that evoke emotion, not corporate jargon. Appeal to the candidate’s desire to connect with their employer, to be a part of a culture they can believe in, and not just punch the nine to five. You must think like the candidate. Remember, your job description is as much a sales pitch as your marketing materials are.

Define Exceptional Performance not an Exceptional Person

Many hiring managers think they should only be looking at candidates that meet each and every one of the listed job qualifications. But by doing so, are you limiting yourself by looking through too small of a looking glass? It is crucial to widen your scope and avoid overvaluing your hiring checklist. You need to focus on the abilities and past performance of the individual, and how these correlate with the position you are looking to fill. Remember, that the candidate who meets all your desired traits may not necessarily mean that they’re the best match for your open position or your company.  

Refer to Your Network

You’ve built a large network of connections, and now is the time to make it work for you. Post job openings within LinkedIn groups and keep your eyes open for interesting prospects at conferences and events. You should be looking for top talent wherever you go. But, most importantly, if you aren’t already doing so, you should be working with a recruiter. Recruiters offer specialized experience and a database of contacts in your industry.

Streamline the Hiring Process

It’s a seller’s market. The last thing you want to do is deter candidates with a difficult hiring process. Job candidates, especially the top 25%, know their worth and they know there are many opportunities available for them. So, if your company takes too long to respond, or the application process is too difficult, candidates will most likely move on to the next opportunity. It is crucial to maximizing the candidates’ experiences throughout the entire hiring process by making the process faster and easier.

Show Off Your Company’s Value

An interview is as much for the candidate’s benefit as for yours- they’re weighing the benefits of working for you against other potential employers. Compensation, company culture, available training and opportunities for advancement are important to potential candidates. You want to show off the perks that your company offers to employees. Define the WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) to capture the attention of top talent.

Hiring managers know that filling vacancies can be time-consuming. Reading through resumes, conducting phone interviews, and vetting potential candidates can end up taking you away from your other responsibilities.

But taking the time to get the job done right from the very beginning, even before you start collecting resumes, can end up saving you time, money, and headaches. Spare yourself the struggle and do it right the first time.

Here are some important aspects to consider before you start seeing candidates for an opening.

Understand The Company

Let your mission statement be your guide to success!

A well-crafted mission statement, one that reveals the character of your company is one of the best ways to attract desirable candidates. Make sure that the key qualities that your company values are easily identifiable in all of your materials. If a company’s main focus is “Going Green” and the potential candidate disregards the practice of taking care of the environment, then maybe they're not the best pick for the position. When interviewing a candidate, ask how their personal goals intersect with the company’s goals. If both are in alignment, you could have a very good match on your hands.

Understand the Role

Before the interview process, it's important that you understand the open position and obligations that are embedded within it. Any vacancies should be thoroughly explored before you hand a job description off to human resources. Discover faults or pain points in the role. Find out why the position requires certain specifications.

A study from the National Business Research Institute has shown the two leading factors that attribute to a failed hire are poor skills match and unclear performance objectives.

This isn't to say that you need your human resources department to become experts on all company roles. However, you do want them to be familiar with the tasks that are performed during an average day, so the filtering process can run at a much more efficient pace. Putting yourself in the shoes of the candidate could further help your search to find the most qualified employee.

Also, take the time to understand why this certain position was left vacant. See if you can look through old employee concerns and reports. If you can assign a problem, then you can apply a solution. 

Now, Take Your Time (But Not Too Much Time)

Hiring managers need to strike a balance between finding qualified candidates and doing so in an efficient and respectable amount of time. Taking too long to close a hire can result in the loss of a worthy applicant, and rushing the process can lead to a bad match. According to the National Business Research Institute,  43% of employers cited that filling vacant positions in a limited amount of time resulted in unfit and unqualified hires.

You can think of the hiring process as oddly similar to the dating game. In a technical aspect, two parties engage, shape a bond, and establish goals that pursue together. When a company hires someone, they are granting them access to numerous resources and assets. An unsuccessful match can result in loss of time, money, and in some cases, can lead to security vulnerabilities.

Having to refill a position after a failed hire is a time consuming and costly endeavor. Find your balance and place the right candidate the first time.  

As a job seeker, ready to return to work after a hiatus (either planned or involuntary) accounting for a gap on your resume can be daunting. But whether you’ve been out of the job market for a few months or more long-term, there are a number of things you can do to ensure that prospective employers view your hiatus as time well spent, rather than damaging blank space in your work history.

4 Ways to Make the Most Of an Employment Gap

1. Be Honest About Your Employment History

As much as you may want to try to make an employment gap disappear when getting back into the workforce, you must embrace it and fill the gaps. You are much better off explaining gaps in employment than trying to make believe it never happened. 

If for example, your hiatus was devoted to raising children, include it as such on your resume: 2014-2019 Time off to take care of a sick family member, etc. Be clear and honest, and know that having taken time off doesn’t make you a less valuable employment prospect.

2. Highlight Volunteer Work

It may be tempting to minimize the impact volunteer work may have on your career, but if you step back, you'll see that you gained valuable skills and experience by working with a non-for profit institution or school. 

By highlighting this experience you are showing hiring managers that you are willing to use your skills to be a positive force in your community, that you are passionate about certain causes, and you are engaged in building new skill sets.

Don’t forget to avail yourself of those connections you made when volunteering when you’re looking for your next position. Even if they are not able to help connect you with prospective employers, they can write recommendations for your LinkedIn profile and provide you with endorsements.

3. Keep Learning 

Employers will be less apt to balk at a gap if you’ve been busy working on your education. And understand this is not a bias that’s limited to University or degree work. Take the time during your hiatus to get current with certifications and training and learn new skills. Employers will see you’ve been dedicated to keeping your skills sharp, and are returning up to date with the latest trends in your sector.

4. Practice Your Story for Job Interviews

When it comes to the job interview, you need to be able to explain your hiatus in a way that allows you to be seen as an exciting prospect. Don't fall to the temptation to apologize for your hiatus. All that's called for is a concise explanation to help remove any doubts about your readiness and appeal to a potential employer. Know what you have to offer and be ready to voice it in just a few sentences. Understanding how to tell your story may take some time and practice, but it will deliver dividends when you are pitching yourself for a job.

Practice telling your story with both friends and people who don't know you so well - it will help strengthen your pitch and work out any hesitation or weakness.

While there may be a pervasive bias against people who have left the workforce for a hiatus, how you handle it can make all the difference in your job search

If you’re ready for to end your hiatus, or are looking for a new job, contact one of our recruiters here at J.Patrick & Associates. We are an Executive Recruiting firm that focuses on Executive Management, Sales, Marketing and Technical roles within Information Technology markets. We have over 20 years of experience recruiting in every aspect of AV/VTC/UC, Application, Storage, Information/Network Security, Mobile Technologies and Telecommunications.